Sonnet

I walk into the woods to find a tree

A tree that must be tall with perfect view

A tree that must have dense leaves to hide me

To help me carry out what I will do

I reach around and clasp my climber stand

Nervous about the climb that I must make

I get into position bow in hand

Being silent because of what’s at stake

In the brush I hear a tiny sparrow

The noise makes me think I will have good luck

Noise, I quickly load a camo arrow

Underneath my tree a monstrous brown Buck

I draw back finally it is my day

The bow string snaps, the hunter has his prey

Critical Response to "Hap"

In this poem, Hardy is talking about how throughout life, you encounter many ups and downs. This frustrates him becasue he would be more comfortable if it were a constant state. Not know in things are going to be good and when they are going to be bad makes him struggle. At some points he questions a higher being asking what the reason for this is. all that gladness ever brings him is a worse feeling when something bad happens. He feels that if he were in a state of constant pain, he would be satisfied had he never know happiness.

This poem is similar to another poem by him, "Ah, Are You Digging On My Grave". I think these poems are similar because, the dead woman who is speaking is originally curious and happy at the thought that someone might be digging on her grave because they miss her and loved her. In the end, she feels pain when she comes to the realization that no one loved her or misses her. Had she been in a constant state of either pain or happiness, she would be able to know that it was either someone or just an accident as it turns out in her case. Even though she is dead, she still feels the pain of being unwanted that she might not have felt if she was never happy with anything.